Spit-Spot!

Have you ever just wanted to read something FUN? Something not weighed down with heavy themes? Something that's entertaining, exciting, yet has a positive outlook on life?

Well come on down and see what I have for YOU!

It's My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger, and it's in stores now!!

This was a rather refreshing read, if I do say so myself. It was just... really freaking adorable. To put it simple. ADORABLE.

Summary of the adorableness:

The story centers around three teenagers in their freshman year of high school. T.C., Augie, and Alé. And its all about love. All types of love. Love, love, love! (And that's why this is adorable!) The love between two best friends (or brothers, as T.C. and Augie like to call themselves), the love of a teenage boy for a teenage girl, the love of a teenage boy for another teenage boy, the love of three friends for a young boy, and the love of a young boy for Mary Poppins.

That's lots of love.

It seemed to me, though, that readers kept trying to make this book... well, more. More than it is. And it is just a story about love.

But because of Augie's developing love for Andy, a boy -- it has to be about gay relations and sexuality. It's the same problem that I saw in We Were Here. It's like people are trying to force heavy themes on a lighthearted book. And that doesn't work. The book is supposed to be lighthearted! Fun! Adorable!

Just because Augie is gay, doesn't mean the book is all about homosexuality and a young person finding his sexuality, coming to terms with it.

He IS gay. There isn't an issue about it. The issue with him isn't about his gayness, it's about his difficulty in his relationship with his boyfriend. Which still isn't something that needs to be heavy! If it was a girl in this scenario, nobody would bat an eyelash at the fact that she has a boyfriend and that she's struggling with her relationship.

Even Augie's father says at one point something about how he never even had the "I'm gay" conversation with his son. There was no need! That's just who Augie is, and it's not an issue (in the same way that Miguel's race in We Were Here wasn't an issue).

Although YA lit can have really heavy themes and be really serious and deep and intense -- it doesn't always have to be that way. There can be novels that are read because they are cute and fun, and that's why I say you should read My Most Excellent Year.

It's REALLY enjoyable. Really, really. Trust me!